DBAs integral to database security

The IT security environment has become increasingly complicated as new technologies, data sources and threats emerge. Experts agree that it has become critical to seek DBA services to support all security initiatives and ensure that data is continually protected, despite any infrastructural or technological adaptations that may occur.

In a report for African Business Review, Jaroslav Cerny reported that DBAs will be increasingly crucial to security programs, particularly as businesses move into the cloud. As a result of cloud migration, the DBA has taken on a more strategic role, offering new value to businesses beyond everyday IT maintenance. Traditionally, the DBA was mostly responsible for planning, designing and configuring databases. Now, however, Cerny revealed that these roles have come to include security, monitoring and disaster recovery. While the DBA's tasks may change in a cloud environment, Cerny stressed that these roles will be invaluable to all enterprises in offering support for all initiatives, including security.

According to Cerny, ensuring the database is protected has become a crucial responsibility for the DBA, especially in regards to maintaining practices that adhere to corporate policies. This has become even more imperative because of the impending Protection of Personal Information (PoPI) Act, which will require strict security of confidential and sensitive data about employees and customers. Cerny explained that as businesses transition into the cloud, the DBA can offer assurance of accountability when services are down, minimizing downtime due to shared responsibility.

Cooperation is necessary
However, Dark Reading contributor Ericka Chickowski reported that leveraging remote DBA services requires support from internal security staff and management in order to effectively protect the database. Todd McDaniel, a DBA for SWC Technology partners, reported that teamwork and collaboration between all teams is critical to a secure environment. Chickowski asserted that security professionals can support all initiatives by cooperating with DBAs and having an open mind to all perspectives. Lowry Kozlowski, another DBA for SWC, explained that DBAs can often enlighten security teams on how innate database security features can be better leveraged to protect data.

Further, Dark Reading revealed that Brad Johnson, vice president at consultancy SystemExperts, has seen much success by conducting periodic reviews that include DBAs and IT security staff to make sure all teams are on the same page.

By partnering with database experts for administration, IT security teams can gain greater visibility into the infrastructure and optimize security measures in the face of all new risks, regulations and other changes.